Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Love my new ride

Took it out for a good portion of the day. Started out going back to the dealer to drop off the title to the old truck. While I was there, I asked some questions about some of the accessories. It has a trailer brake control. I couldn't figure out what it was. Found out they no longer have the factory remote start available for it, so, I hit an auto place on the way home and scheduled an appointment to install an aftermarket. The aftermarket comes with a steel bodied remote that includes buttons for the lock, unlock and alarm features thereby replacing the plastic fobs. Somewhere down the line I will replace the radio. Want to put in a double din so I can add a back up camera. The cheaper radios that fit the bill start at $200 and the camera I would like is about $250. The camera is pretty slick. It is a replacement for the OEM latch assembly. You simply unbolt the original latch and install the new one. The camera is on the opposite side of center as the lock so it balances well.

The year I bought has a problem with plug breakage requiring removal of the head to remove broken bits and repair damage. The dealership I bought the truck from sold it to the original owner, took it back on trade, sold it to the second owner, took it back again for a trade, then I bought it. Apparently, the second owner wound up with the gamble on changing plugs. Dealership took heads off and removed the original plugs and did major tune up for the second owner. They told me in service that it had to do with the material of the original spark plugs and not the heads. They say once you get the originals out, the replacement plugs are fine so you are back to a normal maintenance. Heck, with todays vehicles, I am probably good with the plugs for 80,000 miles. I still can't believe how long they last. Back in the 70,s, it was a very frequent maintenance procedure. Truck runs flawlessly. Love the pick up off the line.

Tonight is just kicking back and relaxing. All the amateurs will be out on the roadways tonight. The dog and I will probably just take in a couple videos, or just watch some of the walking dead marathon, and munch on some snacks. A few beverages may also be in order. Have a happy new year everyone.